Sixto Rodríguez, the protagonist of the Oscar-winning documentary ‘Searching For Sugar Man’, dies at the age of 81

sixto rodriguezsinger and star of the famous 2012 Oscar-winning documentary, Searching for Sugar ManHe has passed away at the age of 81. His own family announced the news this Wednesday on his website without giving details about his cause of death.

“With great sadness, from Sugarman.org we announce that Sixto Díaz Rodríguez has passed away today. We extend our deepest condolences to his daughters, Sandra, Eva y Regan. May his dear soul rest in peace,” the statement read.

The Michigan-born musician had a lot of trouble in the 1970s selling copies of his first two albums, Cold Fact y Coming From Reality, in United States. However, a third compilation album catapulted him to fame in other places unthinkable for him, such as Botswana, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, where he also performed massive concerts.

The documentary Searching for Sugar Mandirected by Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloulnarrates his life and his struggle to consolidate himself as an international artist. After its premiere, he won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2013 and his success led him to get the recognition that he had collected outside his country to spread throughout the world.

“It’s been a great odyssey,” Rodríguez said in a 2008 interview with the Detroit News. “All these years, you know, I always considered myself a musician. But, the reality was 40 years later,” he added.